According to reports, the Swedish government is in its efforts to build a more environmentally friendly world and the government also considering taxing disposable cups and food containers and deducting the cost of low plastic content. Sweden is also paying attention to a bill requiring manufacturers to ensure that at least 75% of packaging is recyclable.
For environmental reasons, the Swedish government has decided to ban the use of many single-use plastic products.
According to the EU’s Single-use Plastics Directive, this is a comprehensive ban on plastic products that are considered harmful to nature and can be replaced by other "greener" alternatives. The ban will take effect from April next year and will apply to plastic tableware, straws and chopsticks.
In addition, in the future, all companies that provide consumers with takeaway food must be able to provide reusable alternatives. However, this special change will not take effect until 2024, and some smaller restaurants will not be subject to this requirement.
Ultimately, these measures are designed to ensure that excess plastic disappears and that plastic still in use can be recycled to a greater extent. In 2020, Sweden's share of recycled plastics is 24%.
In addition, certain products that eventually lead to littering will also be charged a certain fee. These include chewing gum and cigarettes thrown on the ground. It is estimated that 600 million Swedish kronor (70 million U.S. dollars) from the cost will be distributed among the municipalities and used for cleaning.
At present, the Swedish government is considering levying taxes on disposable cups and food containers and deducting products with low plastic content. According to another proposal currently under investigation, 2025 may be the year when manufacturers must ensure that packaging can be recycled to sell their products. In other words, at least 75% of the materials must be recyclable.
